Is it normal to still have to change irrigation despite it working?

Hi, I have been doing irrigation for about 4 weeks now and it works every time, yet I still have to change during the day. Is this normal?

usHello Cinderella. Changing to irrigation , or any other change of routine, can take some time for the body to adjust. I would say that we cannot expect things to settle down to a routine straight away. However, output during the day is not common for most people. Having said that, I do occasionally find odd pellets of output lodged at the side of my plugs when I remove them, so it cannot be said that it doesn't happen. Also, my own after-irrigation tends to be firm rather than liquid, which indicates that it has been in the colon for some time and had the moisture removed. This means that it was probably not there when the irrigation took place but made its way through sometime after. In my case, it has never caused me a problem or overt embarrassment, so I just take it as part of the 'management' procedure. For me, the convenience and advantages of irrigation far outweigh the disadvantages of wearing a bag so I hope to be able to continue irragation for a long time to come.

Best wishes

bill 

Hi Cindy.

No. If you irrigate, you should go 24 hours.

Are you using a gravity bag or an irrigation pump? A pump is far better, and if you're in the UK, you can get one on prescription. B Braun irripump is excellent.

Give yourself plenty of time and get all the water in (1.5 liters?) and leave it in for a couple of minutes, then relax for half an hour while your bowel does its work.

It takes some weeks to get into the full routine, but stick with it.

John

Hi

I started irrigation 2 months ago and it is going well for the most part. I have no more output during the day which is a really good feeling. 4 weeks is a bit early to expect that but it will definitely come and you should not have any output during the day. I irrigate every evening as I have more time and it works quite well.

Cinderella.

Do try and get an electric pump. You're in the UK and you can get one on prescription. The B Braun iRyPump is excellent and will make life much easier.

Talk to Braun at Sheffield.

John

I agree with John. The electric pumps are great (I did a review on them some time back). The braun irripump did not suit me but that was only because it did not hold enough water for my purposes. I made my own. First of all from a hand pumped pressure container that is usually used for garden spraying, Then,  out of a  out of a plastic cereal container and a portable battery powered shower, connected to a coloplast irrigation set and an adapted anal catheter end. They both work fine, but the power shower has the advantage of being much smaller and more suitable for aircraft travel. Plus the fact that I wasn't sure how the airlines  would react to a container with 'KILLERSPRAY' printed all over it!  Without the pump, I don't think I would be able to irrigate because the gravity feed method did not work for me. Best wishes

Bill 

Hello Mike A. 

The iry-pump is quite an expensive item so I'm not surprised that the NHS are reluctant to pay for it. However, when I used one, I had it on a 30day trial and then sent it back because it was not suitable for my needs. Braun were quite happy with my reasons and refunded my money in full.  It might be useful for you to ask for a trial to see how you get on with it as it is not for everybody. As mentioned above, I have made my own irrigation pumps out of relatively cheap household items and freebie stuff from stoma suppliers. They have  proved to be  perfectly adequate for my own needs over a number of years. A picture of the one I took to New Zealand recently is in my photo's section if you are interested.

Best wishes

Bill  

Hello Mike A.

I had a problem getting the NHS to pay for my Braun Irypump.

I was going to buy one in any case, but I contacted Bbraun at Tankersley, near Sheffield, and the local representative who was very helpful made all the arrangements with my Docs practice.

The Irypump is a listed NHS prescription item. It's just that doctors don't know it.

Work with Bbraun and you should be alright. I wouldn't want to be without my pump, it's a wonderful piece of our and makes irrigation so easy.

Get back to me if you need.

John

Thanks for this post john. It's a very useful piece of information. Braun did not offer that level of service when I approached them but I did not ask about it being on prescription because I DID NOT KNOW.  I won't beapplying for one myself becausemy own devices work better for me. However, for those who go down the prescription route  this information is invaluable

Best wishes

Bill

I have been irrigating now for approximately 3 months using gravity feed. I regularly get breakthroughs, which have on occasion been quite large and very inconvenient. I irrigate at the same time each morning, 07:45. Breakthroughs seem to happen approximately 12 hours later in the evening. They don't happen every day; I have gone 7 days with zero problems. Then, I can have two on successive days. I keep a diary of food and time of breakthroughs. Just over two weeks ago, my GP reluctantly prescribed an Irrypump. I am waiting and hoping that it will help to curtail the breakthroughs.